Devon Dumplings v TOUR: South Oxford Amateurs

Thursday 04 August 2022 at Queen's College Oxford

SOAs 259 for 8 dec. Devon Dumplings 236 all out. SOAs won by 23 runs

 

Having secured two wins so far, Dumplings were hoping to make it a clean sweep taking on SOA for the last game. But, after two nights of enjoying the Oxford nightlife, some of the team were looking a little the worse for wear. 

Local umpire Mark Williams was standing today. He had in the past played for the Dumplings in the two-day matches against Incogniti at Exeter. With Danny, the groundsman, securing local Horspath player Ed Oakley to play for us we were at full strength. The weather was again warm and sunny. 

Today’s captain Graham White lost the toss and SOA chose to bat. Matt Nichols and Oakley opened the bowling, and, despite the heat, seamer Oakley bowled a tidy and miserly 10-over spell conceding just 24 runs. He was rewarded with two wickets and SOA were 56 for 3. A good partnership then developed between Frankie Crouch and Alex King. The later repeatedly found the boundary and much time was spent searching for the ball in the surrounding hedges. Ben Abrahams came on to bowl, which was a bit of a novelty according to Abrahams Snr. However he did break the partnership trapping Crouch LBW. King was the mainstay of the innings with all batsman chipping in around him and he had scored 98 when he was caught by Matt Kimber off the bowling of Archie Pope. Pope and Kiran Kumar bowled at the end both taking a couple of wickets but with the SOA going for the declaration their figures suffered a little. Once Alex Ross was caught by Pope, having scored 31 off 18 balls, Arthur Muir brought his team in. 

Kimber & Abrahams opened the batting. This seemed to be a good option given Kimber’s close encounter the day before with being timed out. Apparently someone had hidden his bat and he had been counted down by the umpire as he ran onto the field. They got the innings off to a good start before Abrahams was caught in the slips with the score on 58. Kimber followed in the next over, but Wanderers pair Nichols and Ned Hole pushed the score along. Hole was stumped for 29 off just 15 balls ending his entertaining innings. Dumplings needed 6 an over off the last 20 overs and a victory was looking possible. Unfortunately Harry Kandampully was run out with the score on 174. Matt Nichols then fell for 54 when he was brilliantly caught one handed on the boundary. Despite a valiant innings of 29 from Archie Pope, when he was caught behind with the score on 223 a victory was looking unlikely. Nevertheless with 4 wickets in hand, and just 5 overs to survive, a draw was definitely possible. But  wickets fell virtually every over. Kiran Kumar had to survive the last over, and having done so for 5 balls, he was plumb LBW on the last ball of the match and SOA had won by 23 runs. 

All three tour games had been close with tension right to the end. Thanks to all our tourists, especially the “Wandering” Dumplings. Also to our three supporters, Matt Kimber’s friend, Ben’s dad and David Jolliffe with son Arthur, our two local umpires, scorers, and Danny and Kyle for looking after us so well with the lovely food and the wickets. And of course many thanks to Peter & Judy Jolliffe who, after all Peter’s effort in getting the Tour on, were sadly unable to be with us having contracted Covid. Modern technology meant they were able to keep tabs on our progress via live scoring on Play Cricket. 

SOA: 259 for 8 dec. (Alex King 98, Alex Ross 31, Ed Oakley 2/24)

 DD: 236ao (Matt Nichols 54, Harry Kandampully 34, Tom Lydford Brace 2/31, Arthur Muir 2/33) 

WH